Biotechnological improvement of plants. Biotechnology approaches involving the expression of single transgenes in crops have resulted in the successful commercial introduction of new plant traits, including herbicide (e.g., glyphosate) resistance, insect resistance (expression of Bacillus thuringiensis toxins) and virus resistance (overexpression of viral coat proteins). Plant genomics may also be used to achieve control over polygenic traits. Some traits that may be improved, resulting in better yield and crop quality, include:
Increased lycopene levels. Lycopene is a pigment responsible for color of fruits (e.g., the red color of tomatoes). Consumers tend to prefer fruit products with good color, and often specifically buy fruit and fruit products based on lycopene levels.
Lycopene and other carotenoids are also valuable anti-oxidants. Lycopene is the subject of an increasing number of medical studies that demonstrate its efficacy in preventing certain cancers—including prostate, lung, stomach and breast cancers. Potential impacts also include ultraviolet protection and coronary heard disease prevention.
Increased soluble solids. Increased soluble solids are highly valuable to fruit processors for the production of various products. Grapes, for example, are harvested when soluble solids have reached an appropriate level, and the quality of wine produced from grapes is to a large extent dependent on soluble solid content. Increased soluble solids are also important in the production of tomato paste, sauces and ketchup. Increasing soluble solids in tomatoes increases the value of processed tomato products and decreases processing costs. Savings come from reduced processing time and less energy consumption due to shortened cooking times needed to achieve desired soluble solids levels. A one percent increase in tomato soluble solids may be worth $100 to $200 million to the tomato processing industry.
Fruit Weight. Increased fruit weight, such as the weight of tomato fruit, may directly impact yield when the fruit is the primary crop product. This is true for tomato plants, used as a model system in the present studies, and, generally, other fruit crops.
Control of cellular processes in plants with transcription factors. Strategies for manipulating traits by altering a plant cell's transcription factor content can result in plants and crops with new and/or improved commercially valuable properties. For example, manipulation of the levels of selected transcription factors may result in increased expression of economically useful proteins or biomolecules in plants or improvement in other agriculturally relevant characteristics. Conversely, blocked or reduced expression of a transcription factor may reduce biosynthesis of unwanted compounds or remove an undesirable trait. Therefore, manipulating transcription factor levels in a plant offers tremendous potential in agricultural biotechnology for modifying a plant's traits, including traits that improve a plant's survival, yield and product quality.